BLOG OF THE MONTH: CELIA HODDER

Posing and Stage Presence
In fitness/physique competitions, having a muscular, proportioned physique is what everyone’s ultimate goal really is. However, if one cannot properly present the physique, personal efforts may go unnoticed. Stage presence can make, or break, a stage performance.
Training for a fitness competition requires constant determination and discipline. With countless hours at the gym and in the kitchen, it is just as important to spend as much time practicing posing, and the presentation of the hard earned physique. Devote set number of time to practice posing, and walking on stage, in the weeks leading up to a show. This way, there will be no surprises on show day, and will project confidence on stage. Also, posing should be viewed as an exercise in itself. Posing helps with muscle endurance, and fills out the tiny aesthetic muscles that tie in your larger muscle groups.
Start by learning the mandatory poses, whether it be for figure, bodybuilding, bikini, fitness or physique. If you are unaware of what the mandatory poses are, attend a posing seminar hosted by an expert in your town or have a friend who has done the sport before teach and demonstrate the poses. Watching videos or pictures of the professionals is also a good idea. This way, you can decide what looks good and what does not. Mimic the poses that seem very attractive to you.
For the stage walk, and choosing selected poses to present during the solo stage walk, focus on your strengths, and choose poses that compliment your strengths. For example, if you have great glutes, choose some back/side poses that showcase the curve. If your glutes are not your strong point, choose poses that showcase the front of your body. Most people have a better “side”. Practice side poses, and see which side looks better to you. When choosing a side pose, focus more on the better side. Practice a “relaxed pose”. A relaxed pose is anything but relaxed. Muscles must be flexed with poise, while still looking relaxed. Even when other competitors are on stage posing, you will be near the back of the stage, but will always be visible to the judges.
Once you have practiced all the poses in front of the mirror, turn away from the mirror, and practice without the mirror, as there will be no mirror to use on stage. Then ask a friend who knows about posing and stage presence, to watch and critique your routine. A friend may see something that you may not notice. Also, while posing, it is beneficial to smile at all times, this way you will be conditioned to automatically smile at a time where nervousness could take over.
By putting as much priority on posing as gym time, will greatly increase your total presentation. Practice, practice, practice!
Good luck everyone!
- Celia

WALL OF BLACK WINNER: POPEYES BURNABY

Congratulations to Popeye's Burnaby! You are this month's Nutrabolics WALL OF BLACK winner for your amazing store display, which features a towering mountain of Nutrabolics products.
The WALL OF BLACK Contest is an exclusive Canadian retailer program; if your store or gym is interested in entering the WALL OF BLACK contest for a chance to win monthly prizes and global exposure, please submit all entries to rodney@nutrabolics.com

COMING SOON: CARNIBOLIC

Nutrabolics would like to present it's latest breakthrough, Carnibolic™. Building on the science which made L-Carnitine™ so successful, Carnibolic™ redefines the enhanced amino acid supplement category. Powered by our innovative QuattroCarn Matrix, Carnibolic™ utilizes 4 different forms of L-Carnitine designed to increase fatty acid utilization, improve muscular definition, and support athletic performance in endurance athletes.

NUTRABOLICS TITLE SPONSOR AT PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Nutrabolics presented the Bikini Overall, Bodybuilding Overall, and Figure Overall Awards at the 2012 NSABBA Provincial Championships in Halifax, Canada. As the title sponsor, Nutrabolics would like to thank all of the competitors who participated for their amazing efforts, as well as everyone who helped make this event a great success.

CHFA 2012 UPDATE

We would like to thank everyone who made it out to our booth at the 2012 CHFA expo in Vancouver last week. We would like to extend special thanks to our Canadian distributor Empire for supporting this event and to Brand Ambassadors Rachel Killam and Alisa Stern for representing Nutrabolics at our booth while greeting customers and business partners.

FIBO 2012 HIGHLIGHTS

This year's FIBO expo was a great success as it continues to get bigger than ever! CEO Rodney Dupont and VP Jayson Wyner have now returned home after launching Swollen Powder and Muscle Fusion to the EU market, and previewing upcoming products like the revolutionary new Carnibolic™. Thank you to our European distributor Prometeus and all of their staff, as well as everyone who stopped by our pavilion. See you next year in Germany!

MUSCLE INSIDER PRESENTS NUTRABOLICS WITH SUPPLEMENT AWARDS

This week Scott Welch of Muscle Insider presented Nutrabolics Vice President Jayson Wyner with Canadian Supplement Award trophies for Best Post-Workout Supplement and Carb Supplement of the Year. The awards were announced at the 2012 Arnold competition and trade-show last month.